A digital multi-functional peripheral having an e-mail transmitting/receiving function generally has a function of transmitting a file of image data generated by scanning a document or image data stored in the device by attaching the file to e-mail. In this case, a transmission error occurs if the volume of the generated file is larger than the limit of an e-mail transmission path or mail server.
Examples of conventionally known processes performed when a digital multi-functional peripheral is notified of a transmission error caused by volume excess by a mail server are a process of printing out the transmission error notification, and a process of transferring error notification mail to a prescribed destination. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-044358 proposes an arrangement in which a device itself automatically reduces the file size of image data to be attached to e-mail and retransmit the e-mail.
Furthermore, as a method of automatically controlling the file size, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-150464 proposes a system which transmits e-mail by, e.g., automatically decreasing the resolution of attached image data, switching compression methods, or dividing the data.
Of the conventional techniques described above, however, in the arrangement in which the device on the transmitting side outputs an error notification, there is no means for directly notifying the user who has performed the transmitting operation of the occurrence of the transmission error. In addition, the user must redo the transmitting operation from the beginning in order to perform retransmission.
Also, in the system which transfers the error notification mail to a prescribed destination, the user can easily notice the occurrence of the transmission error. To perform retransmission, however, the user must redo the transmitting operation on the device from the beginning in this system as well.
Furthermore, in the system which automatically reduces the file size of image data and retransmit the data, there is no means for allowing the user to check the image before retransmission or to select whether to transmit the image or cancel the transmission itself.